Satoshi Yakata

Influence of perpendicular magnetic anisotropy on spin-transfer switching current in CoFeB∕MgO∕CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions

We investigated the spin-torque diode effect in submicron-scale Co60Fe20B20∕MgO∕(CoxFe1−x)80B20 (0⩽x⩽0.9) magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) under perpendicular magnetic fields Hext up to 10kOe. A single peak was clearly observed in every spin-torque diode spectrum and the dependence of resonant frequency fres on Hext was well explained by using Kittel’s formula. It was found that effective demagnetizing fields in the perpendicular-to-plane direction of the Fe-rich CoFeB free layers obtained from the spectra were considerably smaller than those expected from the magnetizations of the free layers. This suggested that the Fe-rich CoFeB free layers exhibited a perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which agreed well with the reduced switching current density in the MTJs.

Magnetic Damping in Ferromagnetic Thin Films

We determined the Gilbert damping constants of Fe–Co–Ni and Co–Fe–B alloys with various compositions and half-metallic Co2MnAl Heusler alloy films prepared by magnetron sputtering. The ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) technique was used to determine the damping constants of the prepared films. The out-of-plane angular dependences of the resonance field (HR) and line width (ΔHpp) of FMR spectra were measured and fitted using the Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert (LLG) equation. The experimental results fitted well, considering the inhomogeneities of the films in the fitting. The damping constants of the metallic films were much larger than those of bulk ferrimagnetic insulators and were roughly proportional to (g-2)2, where g is the Lande g factor. We discuss the origin of magnetic damping, considering spin–orbit and s–d interactions.

Large Diode Sensitivity of CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB Magnetic Tunnel Junctions

We report on rf current-induced excitation of the ferromagnetic resonance in CoFeB/MgO/CoFeB magnetic tunnel junctions under a perpendicular magnetic field. By choosing an appropriate external field and using an Fe-rich CoFeB free layer, the effective precession of the free layer could be excited. In a measurement of homodyne detection, a large dc output voltage of 180 µV was obtained when an rf signal power of -25 dBm was applied. The sensitivity of this junction, as an rf rectifier, reaches about 170 mV/mW (280 mV/mW after impedance matching correction), which is the same order compared with that of a Schottky diode operated at room temperature.

Control of vortex chirality in regular polygonal nanomagnets using in-plane magnetic field

The authors have proposed a control method of the magnetic vortex chirality in regular polygonal nanomagnets with an odd number of sides. The asymmetric nucleation energy of the vortex from the uniformly magnetized state enables us to simply control the vortex chirality by an in-plane magnetic field. The reliability of the proposed method has been numerically and experimentally confirmed in the triangle, pentagonal, heptagonal, and nonagonal Permalloy nanomagnets. The authors also confirmed that the vortex chirality is uncontrollable when the number of the side is even.

Thermal stability and spin-transfer switchings in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions with ferromagnetically and antiferromagnetically coupled synthetic free layers

We prepared MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions having a CoFeB/Ru/CoFeB synthetic free layer in which magnetizations of the CoFeB layers were ferromagnetically coupled (F-coupled Sy) or antiferromagnetically coupled (AF-coupled Sy). We studied spin-transfer switchings to evaluate their thermal stability (Δ0=KV/kBT) and intrinsic switching current density (JC0). Although the free layers of two types showed nearly equal JC0, the Δ0 of F-coupled Sy was observed to be twice that of AF-coupled Sy. This difference is attributable to the shape magnetic anisotropy of the free-layer cells. Results show that F-coupled Sy is superior to AF-coupled Sy for memory applications.

Chirality control of magnetic vortex in a square Py dot using current-induced Oersted field

We have proposed a method for controlling the vortex chirality in a squared permalloy dot by using the circular Oersted field locally induced by flowing a DC current across a small Py/Cu junctions. The reliability of the chirality control has been evaluated by measuring the nonlocal spin valve signal. The desired vortex chirality has been obtained when the injecting DC current has a moderate magnitude. However, the large DC current is found to reduce the control reliability. Another possibility for controlling the vortex structure using the large DC current injection was also discussed.

Temperature Dependences of Spin-Diffusion Lengths of Cu and Ru layers

Ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) was measured in Cu/Ni80Fe20/normal-metal: NM (d)/Pt, Cu/Ni80Fe20/NM (d) films with various d values to clarify the temperature dependence of spin-diffusion length induced by the precession of magnetization on Gilbert damping. The films were fabricated by rf magnetron sputtering. The out-of-plane angular dependences of FMR resonance field and linewidth were analyzed using a Landau–Lifshitz–Gilbert equation, and the Gilbert damping parameter G of NiFe was obtained. The obtained spin-diffusion lengths λSD were 350 and 950 nm at 300 and 4.5 K, respectively. The spin-flip probability of the Cu layer was obtained using the temperature dependence of FMR linewidth. These results were then compared with the calculated data of the temperature dependence of spin-diffusion length.

Noise-induced synchronization in spin torque nano oscillators

We have numerically studied the stochastic magnetization dynamics of a pair of spin torque nano oscillators (STNOs) under noisy current injection by using the Landau-Lifshitz-Gilbert-Slonczewski (LLGS) equation with a macro-spin approximation. Common noisy current injection into both STNOs is found to induce the phase synchronizations, where two STNOs show in-phase or anti-phase locked precession depending on the sequences of Gaussian white noise. The noise-induced synchronization could be a possible application for controlling the output power in the array of the STNOs.

Spin Wave Excitation and Propagation Properties in a Permalloy Film

Spin wave excitation and propagation properties in a permalloy were investigated using a vector network analyzer for the magnetostatic surface wave (MSSW) and magnetostatic backward volume wave (MSBVW) configurations. In the MSSW configuration, the excitation and transmission spectra show many peaks. They originate at the distance of antenna lines of the coplanar waveguide, and the waveguide design is important for selecting the excitation and transmission wave vectors of the spin wave. The attenuation length of the MSSW was estimated to be 7.1 µm, and the group velocity of the MSSW with a wave number of 0.26 µm-1 was estimated to be about 8.6 µm/ns for an external magnetic field of 20 mT. In the MSBVW configuration, however, the excitation spin wave spectrum shows a single peak, since many quantized peaks overlap. A transmission signal with a single peak was also detected, but this could be an artifact such as an induced current.

Reduction in switching current using a low-saturation magnetization Co–Fe–(Cr, V)–B free layer in MgO-based magnetic tunnel junctions

Magnetic properties, magnetoresistance (MR), and spin-transfer switching of magnetic tunnel junctions having a structure of Co60Fe20B20 3 nm/MgO 1 nm/(Co75Fe25)80−XCr(V)XB20 2 nm (X=0–25) were investigated. Magnetization of the (Co–Fe)–(Cr, V)–B free layer decreased from 1.2 T before substitution to 0.6 T at Cr of 10% (0.8 T at V of 10%). The MR ratio and a resistance-area product (RA) before substitution were, respectively, about 130% and about 2 Ω μm2. The MR ratio decreased to 80% at Cr of 10% and 40% at V of 10%. The RA values were almost independent of the composition. The intrinsic switching current density (Jc0) decreased from 15 to 8 MA/cm2 at Cr of 10% and 12 MA/cm2 for V of 10%. Upon the further increase in Cr and V, stable switching was difficult to observe. In summary, Jc0 decreased to half in the case of Cr, but the effect was small for V.